Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



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R3 A. MCCANN RAILWAY 'TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed July 29, 1926 il zlge 1 "s i IiP-li Aug. 28, 1928.

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INVENTOFQI .Q- z-f Patented ruga 28, 1928.

. narran srares PAI-ENT? orrizce.

svvr'rcrr & SIGNAL company, or SWIS or PENNSYLVANILM SVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORALVICHY` RAILWAY-TRAFFIVC-CONTROLLTN G f APPARATUS..

Application niedimiy i l29,.,

Myinvcntion rclatesjto ,railway v,traic confie trolling:apparatus, and particularly toiappae. ratusoli. the type wherein governingmeans Vonu a trainlis controlled by energy receii'redifroin` the tigackivay. The present. invention relates, to thetrackway portion of. such apparatus, and.- speciica-llyto trackway apparatus associatedwith airinterlocking plant. One feature of my invention is the provi-sion of means. for giving. a restrictive indication aboard ra, trainin the section immediately in advance of an interlockingisignal if such signalindifa Cates. stop, regardless of traflicconditions in. advance `o t. such'vsection.

I=willrdescribe,two-forms. of trackway a paratus embodyingm-y invention, andl W1 1: then point. out the novel features thereof in. claims. i

In the yaccoinpanyingdrawing,Fig. l lisa diagrammatic view vshowingone. foiin of ap-. paiatus embodying my inventionandzemploying loop cir-cuits wherein the train 'governing' current flows in the tworailsiolil a section-in. multiple. iiig. 2 is a View showing ainodilication ofthe apparatus shownin .Fi-g.l l and also embodying my invention, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 involving train governingcir-1 cuits wherein the current vflowsV in opposite directions in the two trackrailsjat a gi'veniin-A stant. Similar reference characters refer to simi;- larparts in each of the views.`

Referring first to Fig. l, theV referencecharacters l and la designate the track rails of a railway along which traino normally moves. in the direction indicated' by the arrow. These rails are divided by insulated joints 2 to forni a plurality of tracksect-i'ons of which only two sections A-D and D-Cy are shown in theldrawiiig. The sectionA-D is a section in an interlocking andis protected byaninterlocking signal SD located at the entrance. endvoi`l this section. The section D-G is protected by an automatic signalSC, and thesection-to the left of point A is protected by an automatic sign-al- S4.

Each tracksection is provided -with a track circuit comprising a *source` of current at the exit-:end of. the sect-ion and a track relay con.- netedfacross therail's at the entrance end oi? tlieisection.\ As here shown., each source of' 1926..k SeriaL No. 125,763i

current is a .transformerdesignated bythe reference character T with an exponent conl responding tothe location, the secondary of which is connected across the track rails and' ther-primary of which `is vconnected vwith a source of alternating current` which is not`v shown in the drawing. The track relay Afor each sectionA is designated by the reference character R` with an exponent corresponding tothe location.

The automat-ic signals Se vandi-ISC .may .bel con trolledin any suitablemannenand the cirvcuits for these signals areomittedifrolnthe drawing because they formv no partei mypresent invention.`

The interlocking signal SIMS controlledl b n a lever Er'ofan interlockingmachine, which lever includes a contactrwhich-isopen whenthe leveris in itsY normal'position-and isy closedwhen the lever is i-n -itsi-everseposition- The circuit for signal SD .passesfromftermifi nalB of a suitablesourceof current,:through AHo Contact 'andthe o ieratin(Y mechanism of the l is i signal SD to terminalO of the sainesourceof cur-rent.

Each track section is provided-withmeans l for supplying-the rails with' alternating loop current which flowsinvthe tw-o rails in multi-Y ple, and for this purpose a resistance 3-is con-v section, and'aresistfance 4 is connected [acrossthe rai-lsaty the entrance of ,the section. The

immediate` source of,l loop cuirent supply `is al transformer design-ated l by the referenceY character Lwith an exponent corresponding -nected acrossthe railslfat the exit end of the- Sii to the locatioii,tlie secondary 15 of Whichisy 4connected with the two resistances and; 4,v

respectively, of the associated section.- C01 `sidering section ID--Q they primary 1410i transformer LD isl connected With the second-l ary of a transformer HD., th-rough'a .circuitv controller 1G yoperated by the signal SD and;l

closed only when thissignalindicatesproceed f The primary oftransforiner H-D is. connected with a suitable source .of alternatingcurrent which isanot shown in the drawing, and' the.

Vsaine thing is true of the primaryoftr-a-nsrails of the section occupied by the train are supplied with both track circuit current and yloop current.

The operation. of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, is as follows:

When signal SD is in the proceed position, contact 16 is closed, so that loop current is supplied to the rails of section D-Q' Track circuitcurrent is, of course, also supplied to the rails of this section, and, consequently, a train occupying the section will not receive a restrictive indication. 1f signal SD is at stop, however, contact 16 will be open, so that the supply of loop current to the rails of section D-C Will be discontinued and a train entering this section Will receive a restrictive indication. l Will noiv assume that signal SA indicates either proceed or caution, and that signal SD indicates proceed. The circuit for the primary of transformer LA Will then be closed at both contacts 5 and 6, so that a train in section A-D will not receive a restrictivey indication. 1f, however, lever E is in the normal position, so that signal SD indicates stop, the circuit for the primary of transformer LA will be open at contactk 6, and so a train entering section A-D will receive a restrictive indication becausethe supply of loop current to the rails of this section has' been discontinued, and this is true even if the signal SA indicates proceed or caution, so that contact 5 is closed.

It will be seen from the foregoing` that the indication given aboard a train in section A-D depends on the position of the interlocking lever E, so that with the apparatus thus `far described, it would be possible for the operator to restore this lever to its normal position While a train' which has passed signal SD in the proceed position occupies section A-D.` This would cause an unwarranted restrictive indication aboard the train and would, of course, be undesirable. To prevent this, I have provided means for preventing the lever E from being returned to its normal position While a train occupies section AHI). This means in the form here shown, is an electric lock comprising a magnet'9 and a dog 8, which dog is attached to the interlocking lever. moved to the reverse position to clear signal SD, regardless of the `condition of magnet 9,

The lever E may be but owing to the co-action of the armature of magnet 9 with the dog 8, the lever cannotl thereafter be restored to its normal position unless magnet 9 is energized. Magnet 9 is provided with a circuit which passes from terminal B of a suitable source of current, through contact 12 operated by signal SC, contact 11 operated by signal SD, front contact 1() of track relay R1, and Winding of magnet 9 to terminal O of the same source of current. This circuit can be closed only When track relay RD is energized, that is, only when section A-D is unoccupied. The contacts 6 and 7 and the dog 8 are so arranged that when the lever E is in the reverse position it may be moved toward the normal position far enough to open the circuit for signal SD Without interference by the dog 8, but that such movement is not sufficient to open the circuit for the primary of transformer LA at contact 6. This permits the operator to place signal-SD at stop'while the train is in section A-D Without interrupting the supply of loop current for that sect-ion.V

Referring now to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown in this vievv is the same as that shovvn in Fig. 1 except that the source of track circuit current for each section is a batteryV 13, and the source of train governing current for each section is a transformer K, thesecondary 18 of which is connected across the track rails in series with the track battery 18. The primary 17 of transformer KD is controlled in the same manner as the primary 14 of transformer LD in Fig. 1, and the primary 17 of transformer KA is controlled in the same manner as the primary 14 of transformer LA in Fig. 1.

The apparatus shown inA Fig. Qis intended for cooperation with train-carried governing mechanism so designed that a restrictive indication is given aboard a train unless the train'occupies a section-,the rails of which are supplied with train controlling current by the associated transformer K. n

The operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. Q'Will be apparent from the explanation given hereinbefore of the operation of the apparatus lshown in Fig. 1.

Although I have herein shown and de-` scribed only tivo forms of apparatus embody- `ing myA invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made ,therein Within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention what T claim is:

1. ln combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, means for controlling trains in said section in accordance withV the position of said. manual;V

means as weljl as by traiiic conditions Vin advance of said section, and 'means for prevent-l ing said manual means from being restored.

toits full normali' positQIl while atrain is in said section.

2. InLcoinbination, asection of, railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, and means for causing a non-restrictive indication to be given on a train occupying said section in spite of operation of said manual means to cause said signal to indicate stop provided said signal gave a proceed indication when it was passed by the train.

3. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, means for causinga non-restrictive indication to be given on a train occupying said section when said manual means is in reverse position and trailic conditions in advance of said section are safe, and means for preventing said manual means from being restored to its full normal position while a train is in said sect-ion.

4. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of sai-d section and controlled at leastY in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, trackway means for controlling trains in said section in accordance with traiiic conditions in advance of the section and in accordance with the position of said manual means, and means for preventing said manual means being restored to its ullnormal position while said section is occupied by a train.

5. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having nor mal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, means for controlling trains in said section in accordance with the position of said manual means as well as by traiiic conditions in advance of said section, a lock for preventing said manual means being restored to its full normal position, and a track circuit for said section including a track relay for controlling said lock. f

6. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, and

means. onsupplyingv train. governing. energy to thev rails ot' said section under .the control y ottraiic ,conditions ina'dvance of the section and. of saidy manual means.

7 VIn icombination,` al section oi' railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance endot saidsection and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, means for supplying train governing energy to the rails of said section under the control 0i tratc conditions in advance ot the section and of said manual means, and means for preventing said manual means trom being restored to its full normal position while a train is in said section.

S. In combination, a section ot' railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end ot said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal 1ndicates stop and proceed respectively, and means for supplying train governing energy to the rails ot said section it and only it said manual means is in substantially its reverse position.

9. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal locatedat thev entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having nor` mal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, means i'or supplying train governing energy to the rails of said section it' and only if said manual means is in substantially its reverse position, and means for preventing said manual means `from being restored to its full normal position while a train is in said section.

l0. In combination, a section of railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means having normal and reverse positions wherein said signal indicates stop and proceed respectively, and means controlled by said manual means for supplying train governing current to the rails of said section in multiple when trailic conditions in advance of the sect-ion are safe.

ll. In a train governing system or' the type wherein the continuous supply of energy from the track rails to a train is necessary to enable the train to proceed without restriction, the con'ibination or' a section or' railway track, an interlocking signal located at the entrance end of said section and controlled at least in part by manual means, and means controlled by said 'manual means for supplying train governing` energy to the rails of said section w ien traiiic conditions in advance of the section are safe.

l2. In combination, a section of railway track. an interlocking signal for said section,

a manually operable device having a normal vand a reverse position and an intermediate tion from .its reverse position While said seotion is occupied, means for causing said signal to indicate proceed when said device is in its reverse position but not when said device is in its intermediate or normal position, and

means subject to control by traiic conditions in advance of said section Vfor supplying train governing current to the rails of said section When said device is in its reverse position or in its intermediate position but not When it is in its normal position.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

RONALD A. MCCANN. 

